1.)Danish Resistance Timeline: April 9,1940- Denmark is occupied by Germany
Autumn 1940- People fear Germany will bring Denmark Nazi to power
1941- First illeagal pamphlets appeared
1942-
Illeagal communists are the first to take action by blowing up factoriesworking for German war effort. This put pressure on the German-Danish relationship. Contacts are established between Danish parachute agents from the british organization SOE
1943- SOE supplies weapons and equiptment for the resistance election that was held in the spring. In august riots in several small towns helped in the colapse of the govornment. Germans decided to introduce marterial law, Germany's army took over for the Danish Government.This year, Denmark civil servants began to capture jews for departatuion to sweden.
1944-citizens were terrorized by Germans by reprisal sabotages and killings. Members of resistances were risking their lives, most were torutred, some excecuted, and some were even put in concentration camps. Many railroad sabotages took place to support the Allies by delaying the transportation of Axis troops to the front. In the summer of 1944, a strike was held in Copenhagen city to show that the citizens were respocive to the councils calls.
May 5,1945- Germany surrendered before the fighting reaches Denmark.
When the Germans first entered in Denmark, the two countries were not at war. Therefore, the Danish resistance could not be legalized by the Allies. So, from 1940 to 1943, the Germans would arrest resistance suspects for civil disobedience to protect their country and army. This caused more Danish citizens to strike, leading to more arrests. By 1943, sabotage against the Germans by resistance fighters was so bad that the Danish government received an ultimatum from the Germans. It declared that all resistance fighters sabotaging the Germans would be condemned to death. The ultimatum also put Denmark in a state of emergency. However, the Danish government refused, causing Germany to officially seize power, and making Denmark an occupied country. This allowed for Danish resistance to be approved by the Allies. The resistance fighters also smuggled Jewish citizens in Denmark to safety in Sweden, a neutral country. This was a clear violation of the law ordered by Adolf Hitler declaring all Danish Jews to be arrested and deported. The Germans and Hitler felt the need to establish this law because they wanted to carry out their goal of eliminating the Jewish people in Europe.
4.) Accounts of Disobedience ~Here are links of an interview with Mogens Skjolt. There are four parts to this interview. He tells his story on what happened to his family and what happened to him. 1234
~Here is a link of what one of the Danish underground newspapers looked like during the Danish Resistance. More underground newspapers can be found here, and has multiple shots of the underground newspapers.
7.) Description of the Act: The Danish resistance started during 1940, when Germany occupied Denmark. The Danish, however, did not mind the fact that Germany was occupying their country at the time; it was simply thought of as nothing. Even the king, Christian X and the government agreed that the Germans could stay stationed in Denmark; in return, Denmark wanted to be known as independent. Some Danes, however did not believe in what the government and king said about allowing Germany to occupy the country, so many fled to Allied ports. The people in Denmark that opposed the Germans occupying the country formed what is known as a Special Operation Executive where people could pass their knowledge to the group to form resistance, sabotage, however, was restricted in planning an act of resistance. The resistance groups reached a breaking point in 1943, where sabotage broke out; and those involved were arrested by the Germans. Strikes were held to protests those arrests, which in turn led to the arresting of the protesters, increasing the amount of people being arrested. In August of 1943, Germany gave Denmark an ultimatum. The ultimatum stated that Denmark must declare a state of emergency, and condemn to death all captured saboteurs. The government in Denmark strictly refused to perform the ultimatums task, which forced Germany to fully legalize it's take over in Denmark. The Danish Freedom Council was formed in September of 1943, which included 7 representatives from resistance groups and one member from the Special Operation Executive. The Danish Freedom Council grew rapidly, and in the end the membership totaled to about 20,000 people. The Danish Resistance reached its climax on D-Day, where they would prevent Germany from moving into France, where D-Day was expected to happen, and distract them with multiple acts of chaos and sabotage in Denmark. On this day, Germany was defeated and Denmark became free. In the course of this whole resistance movement, Stockholm became the main base for the Danish Resistance, and over 7,000 out of Denmark's 8,000 Jews made it out of Denmark alive because they fled to other countries by sea.
This is a picture of the Danish Resistance Fighters http://www.prairiestarproductions.com/images/Danish_Resistance_Odense_1945.jpg
11.) Mogens Ludolf Fog ( June 91906 – July 16 1990) was a Danish physician, politician Danish Communist Party and resistance fighter. In the 1930s, he headed the Socialistiske Læger (Social Physicians) who opposed Fascism. He played a strategic role in the Danish resistnace. In 1942, he helped to set up the Frit Danmark, the illegal non-partisan resistance newspaper. Then he became an active member of the Danish Freedom Council (Frihedsrådet) in 1943. He was arrested in October 1944 but escaped in March 1945 after their headquarters in the Shell building were bombed. 12.)
14.) A Movie that was based onthe Danish Resistance was 'Flame and Citron'. The movie was based on Danish Nazi hunters. It also talk about fact-based tale of two of Denmark's most famous World War II resistance fighters. It tell stories that really happenend during this resistance. One of the big things were the fact that the Danish underground had, by that point, already rescued almost all of the country's nearly 8,000 Jews, by smuggling them into Sweden. THis was a major part of the movie and of this act.
#10.)
"A common and natural result of an undue respect for for law is, that you may see a file of soldiers, colonel, captain, corporal, privates, powder-monkeys, and all, marching against their wills, ay, against their common sense and consciences, which makes it very steep marching indeed, and produces a palpitation of the heart." - Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience This quote from Throeau can be related to the actions of the Danish resistance fighters. On April 9, 1940, Nazi Germany entered Denmark, a neutral country. This directly violated the German-Danish Treaty of non-agression. In this situation, the Nazis had an "undue" respect for the law by breaking the treaty they had agreed to follow. As a result, a "file of German solidiers" marched into Denmark, even though they did not have the right to do so. The Danish people realized the wrong doings of Germany and decided to act against them. However, their resistance was seen as disobedience and many involved were punished. In reality, the resistance fighters were only trying to achieve justice for Germany's disrespect of their treaty.
#9.) The Danish Resistance fighters were fighting for independence from Germany. Their main goal was to be free and finally lose all ties from Germany; you can compare that to America losing ties with Great Britain. The major goal of the Danish Resistance was to not listen to the Germans anymore and create as much sabotage as possible to make them leave. The Germans were capturing Jews, which angered the Danish even more, which is why they protested for freedom, and some fled because they were so upset with the government of Denmark. The Danish Resistance ended on May 5, 1945, when Germany surrendered from World War II. The Danish Resistance was very secretive, but in the end all of the Danish were free from Germany and were now a self-governing country. The Danish Resistance was successful because their goal was to stop Germany from taking them over and instead be free, which by the end of the war, the Danish succeeded.
People Affected by Danish Resistance
All Jewish Citizens in Denmark- Over 7,000 Jewish citizens were rescued, saving them from going to concentration camps.
- Leif Wassermann - Young boy who was able to escape the Nazis.
Catherine Fraleigh
Erin Aspinwall
Chris Reno
1.)Danish Resistance Timeline:
April 9,1940-
Denmark is occupied by Germany
Autumn 1940-
People fear Germany will bring Denmark Nazi to power
1941- First illeagal pamphlets appeared
1942-
Illeagal communists are the first to take action by blowing up factoriesworking for German war effort. This put pressure on the German-Danish relationship. Contacts are established between Danish parachute agents from the british organization SOE
1943- SOE supplies weapons and equiptment for the resistance election that was held in the spring. In august riots in several small towns helped in the colapse of the govornment. Germans decided to introduce marterial law, Germany's army took over for the Danish Government.This year, Denmark civil servants began to capture jews for departatuion to sweden.
1944-citizens were terrorized by Germans by reprisal sabotages and killings.
Members of resistances were risking their lives, most were torutred, some excecuted, and some were even put in concentration camps. Many railroad sabotages took place to support the Allies by delaying the transportation of Axis troops to the front. In the summer of 1944, a strike was held in Copenhagen city to show that the citizens were respocive to the councils calls.
May 5,1945- Germany surrendered before the fighting reaches Denmark.
2.) Slideshow of the Danish Resistance
danish resistance - free slideshow maker
Laws Broken by the Danish Resistance Fighters
When the Germans first entered in Denmark, the two countries were not at war. Therefore, the Danish resistance could not be legalized by the Allies. So, from 1940 to 1943, the Germans would arrest resistance suspects for civil disobedience to protect their country and army. This caused more Danish citizens to strike, leading to more arrests. By 1943, sabotage against the Germans by resistance fighters was so bad that the Danish government received an ultimatum from the Germans. It declared that all resistance fighters sabotaging the Germans would be condemned to death. The ultimatum also put Denmark in a state of emergency. However, the Danish government refused, causing Germany to officially seize power, and making Denmark an occupied country. This allowed for Danish resistance to be approved by the Allies. The resistance fighters also smuggled Jewish citizens in Denmark to safety in Sweden, a neutral country. This was a clear violation of the law ordered by Adolf Hitler declaring all Danish Jews to be arrested and deported. The Germans and Hitler felt the need to establish this law because they wanted to carry out their goal of eliminating the Jewish people in Europe.Opposing View of the Danish Resistance Fighters
Article: Danish Resistance Loses Popularity : The Resistance Movement was no longer popular in Denmark after World War II.The Impure Morality Of Nazi Resistance : The actions of the Danish Resistance required cruelty from its members.
4.) Accounts of Disobedience
~Here are links of an interview with Mogens Skjolt. There are four parts to this interview. He tells his story on what happened to his family and what happened to him. 1 2 3 4
~Here is a link of what one of the Danish underground newspapers looked like during the Danish Resistance.
More underground newspapers can be found here, and has multiple shots of the underground newspapers.
7.) Description of the Act:
The Danish resistance started during 1940, when Germany occupied Denmark. The Danish, however, did not mind the fact that Germany was occupying their country at the time; it was simply thought of as nothing. Even the king, Christian X and the government agreed that the Germans could stay stationed in Denmark; in return, Denmark wanted to be known as independent. Some Danes, however did not believe in what the government and king said about allowing Germany to occupy the country, so many fled to Allied ports. The people in Denmark that opposed the Germans occupying the country formed what is known as a Special Operation Executive where people could pass their knowledge to the group to form resistance, sabotage, however, was restricted in planning an act of resistance. The resistance groups reached a breaking point in 1943, where sabotage broke out; and those involved were arrested by the Germans. Strikes were held to protests those arrests, which in turn led to the arresting of the protesters, increasing the amount of people being arrested. In August of 1943, Germany gave Denmark an ultimatum. The ultimatum stated that Denmark must declare a state of emergency, and condemn to death all captured saboteurs. The government in Denmark strictly refused to perform the ultimatums task, which forced Germany to fully legalize it's take over in Denmark. The Danish Freedom Council was formed in September of 1943, which included 7 representatives from resistance groups and one member from the Special Operation Executive. The Danish Freedom Council grew rapidly, and in the end the membership totaled to about 20,000 people. The Danish Resistance reached its climax on D-Day, where they would prevent Germany from moving into France, where D-Day was expected to happen, and distract them with multiple acts of chaos and sabotage in Denmark. On this day, Germany was defeated and Denmark became free. In the course of this whole resistance movement, Stockholm became the main base for the Danish Resistance, and over 7,000 out of Denmark's 8,000 Jews made it out of Denmark alive because they fled to other countries by sea.
This is a picture of the Danish Resistance Fighters
http://www.prairiestarproductions.com/images/Danish_Resistance_Odense_1945.jpg
11.)
Mogens Ludolf Fog ( June 91906 – July 16 1990) was a Danish physician, politician Danish Communist Party and resistance fighter. In the 1930s, he headed the Socialistiske Læger (Social Physicians) who opposed Fascism. He played a strategic role in the Danish resistnace. In 1942, he helped to set up the Frit Danmark, the illegal non-partisan resistance newspaper. Then he became an active member of the Danish Freedom Council (Frihedsrådet) in 1943. He was arrested in October 1944 but escaped in March 1945 after their headquarters in the Shell building were bombed.
12.)
14.) A Movie that was based onthe Danish Resistance was 'Flame and Citron'. The movie was based on Danish Nazi hunters. It also talk about fact-based tale of two of Denmark's most famous World War II resistance fighters. It tell stories that really happenend during this resistance. One of the big things were the fact that the Danish underground had, by that point, already rescued almost all of the country's nearly 8,000 Jews, by smuggling them into Sweden. THis was a major part of the movie and of this act.
#10.)
"A common and natural result of an undue respect for for law is, that you may see a file of soldiers, colonel, captain, corporal, privates, powder-monkeys, and all, marching against their wills, ay, against their common sense and consciences, which makes it very steep marching indeed, and produces a palpitation of the heart."- Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience
This quote from Throeau can be related to the actions of the Danish resistance fighters. On April 9, 1940, Nazi Germany entered Denmark, a neutral country. This directly violated the German-Danish Treaty of non-agression. In this situation, the Nazis had an "undue" respect for the law by breaking the treaty they had agreed to follow. As a result, a "file of German solidiers" marched into Denmark, even though they did not have the right to do so. The Danish people realized the wrong doings of Germany and decided to act against them. However, their resistance was seen as disobedience and many involved were punished. In reality, the resistance fighters were only trying to achieve justice for Germany's disrespect of their treaty.
#9.)
The Danish Resistance fighters were fighting for independence from Germany. Their main goal was to be free and finally lose all ties from Germany; you can compare that to America losing ties with Great Britain. The major goal of the Danish Resistance was to not listen to the Germans anymore and create as much sabotage as possible to make them leave. The Germans were capturing Jews, which angered the Danish even more, which is why they protested for freedom, and some fled because they were so upset with the government of Denmark. The Danish Resistance ended on May 5, 1945, when Germany surrendered from World War II. The Danish Resistance was very secretive, but in the end all of the Danish were free from Germany and were now a self-governing country. The Danish Resistance was successful because their goal was to stop Germany from taking them over and instead be free, which by the end of the war, the Danish succeeded.
People Affected by Danish Resistance
- All Jewish Citizens in Denmark- Over 7,000 Jewish citizens were rescued, saving them from going to concentration camps.
- Leif Wassermann - Young boy who was able to escape the Nazis.Amanda's Journals
Erin's Journals